ABSTRACT
The importance of the working
environment of any organization to a very large extent determines performance
of employees in that organization which in turn determines the success of such
organization. This study is intended to explore the effects of internal
environment of job performance and the make-up of what constitutes an internal
environment in the company used as a case study. There are various factors that
determine an internal environment such as leadership styles, cash flow
position, government legislature and motivation. The employees’ performance on
the jobs is basically a function of two variables; one is the individual’s
ability to perform the job, and secondly, the motivation that encourages or
drives him to use this ability in the actual performance of the job. It is
widely assumed that motivating persons who posses high ability will lead to
greater increase in performance and productivity. There was a decline of staff
turnover in the company under study, who left in search of better working
environment in terms of better promotion. Policy, better remuneration and
better working conditions. This has reduced the performance of some workers as
well as their productivity and efficiency. This led to finding out if
incentives such as bonuses are attractive enticement to workers and also to
find out if salaries paid in the company under study are considered attractive
when compared to other manufacturing companies. Both primary and secondary
methods of data collection were used for this study. The population was
determined, sample drawn and questionnaires designed for data collection. Data
was collected, analyzed and interpreted. The study therefore recommends that,
the work environment should be made conducive and improved in terms of nature
of supervision, boss-employees relationship, and employee-employee relationship
and most important in terms of motivation.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title Page i
Approval Page ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgment v
Abstract viii
Table of
Contents ix
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study 1
1.2 Brief History of Unilever Nigeria Plc 8
1.3 Statement of Problem
1.4 Objective of the Study
1.5 Significance of Study 11
1.6 Scope of the Study 12
1.7 Limitations of the Study 12
1.8 Research Questions 13
1.9 Research Hypothesis 14
1.10 Definition of Terms 15
References 17
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction 18
2.1 Historical Background 18
2.1.1 The
notion and the Value of Work 19
2.2 Theoretical Framework 19
2.2.1 Why Do
Men Work 19
2.2.2 What is
Work Environment 21
2.2.3
Determinant of Work Environment 23
2.2.4
Leadership/Managing Style 23
2.2.5
Motivation and Productivity 25
2.2.6 Job
Enlargement and Enrichment 34
2.2.7 The
concept of Job Satisfaction 35
2.2.8
Operationalizing Job Satisfaction 36
2.2.9 Job
Satisfaction and Employee’s Performance 37
2.3 Cashflow Position 39
2.4 Government Legislation/Policies 40
References 41
CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0
Introduction 42
3.1 Research
Design 42
3.2
Identification of Population 42
3.3 Method and
sources of Data 43
3.3.1 Primary
Data 43
3.3.2 Secondary Data 43
3.4
Questionnaire Design 44
3.5 Questionnaire Assumptions 45
3.6 Data Analysis 45
3.7 Limitation
of the Research Methodology 47
3.8
Restatement of Research Questions and
Research
Hypothesis 48
References 49
CHAPTER FOUR: INTRODUCTION
4.1 Data Presentation 50
4.2 Analysis of Questionnaire 50
4.3 Test of Hypothesis 61
CHAPTER
FIVE: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION
- Summary of Major Findings 72
- Recommendations 76
- Conclusion 77
Bibliography 80
Questionnaire 82
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Man wherever he is, be it at
home, school or even the company he keeps is always influenced by his internal
environment. The reason being that he is
easily assimilated into the totality of his environment.
Generally, internal environment refers
to one’s immediate surroundings including water, air, land in which one lives
that influence one’s life. But for the
purpose of this research, internal environment here shall be referred to as
elements within the work environment, such as working environment, management
style, inter- relationship amongst staff and motivational factors – incentives,
salary increase and opportunity to develop oneself. These have effects on the
overall performance of an employee.
An improved work environment will
result in a reduction in a number of complaints and absenteeism and will bring
an increase in productivity, Roelofson (2002).
Employee makes critical difference
between success and failure. The effectiveness with which organizations manage,
develop, motivate and engage the willing contribution of the employees will
enable them to capitalize on their expertise most efficiently. There is a link
between people management and business performance. According to Roelofson one
of the fundamental human requirements is work environment that allows people to
perform their work optimally under comfortable condition.
People are beginning to be conscious
of the fact that to be happy and cheerful in one’s work place, some conditions
must be present even with little pay. For example, not withstanding whatever is
provided for a seamstress for her job, if there is no machine, all that is
provided comes to naught. Again, when a librarian is provided for a noisy
environment, he will not carry out his work effectively because the environment
suitable for effective library function is quietness and orderliness.
Similarly, an Accountant who deals with figures will be annoyed if he is
sharing a calculator with four staff members. Also, the secretary is looked
upon as human machine, trained with the responsibility of taking note of what
others may regard as minor and making suggestions based on records available.
To effectively carry out these and other functions, the secretary needs a
‘hightech’ office where some electronic machines will complement his/her human
ability.
In an employment situation, the
employee promises to live up to expectation.
The employer expects nothing less. But the point is: has the employer
provided a work environment that will facilitate the effective discharge of the
employees’ assigned duties? Most employers keep complaining of poor returns
from employee without taking out time to find out why the new employer has not
performed beyond what the former one was able to do.
If an organization provides its
employees with better work and most conducive working environment they can
perform exceptionally well, and companies can capitalize on their enhanced
productivity in the shape of cost reduction, which will ultimately contribute
awards rich profits. The relationship between employee attitudes and company
performance, as suggested by Patterson et’ al., (1997), is highly correlated.
They suggested that managers of organizations who are eager to promote
productivity and Profitability should pay close attention to the attitudes of
their employees in order to make them more positive.
THE EFFECTS OF INTERNAL ENVIROMENT ON EMPLOYEE AND
BUSINESS PERFORMANCE
The internal environment has the
biggest effect on employee performance and productivity. As a result of that,
businesses are taking a more strategic approach to environmental management to
enhance their productivity through improving the performance level of the
employees. Govindarajulu (2004)
It is evident in the research findings
of Patterson et’al, (2004) that the more satisfied workers are with their
internal environment the better the company is likely to perform in terms of
subsequent profitability and productivity and vice versa.
Many managers and supervisors labour
under the mistaken impression that the level of employee performance on the job
is only proportional to the size of the employee’s pay packet. Although this may be true in a minority of
cases. Numerous employee surveys have
shown by and large this to be untrue. In
fact, salary increases and bonuses for performance in many instances, have a
very limited short-term effect. The
extra money soon comes to be regarded not as an incentive but as an
“entitlement”.
There are other factors that when
combined provide a positive effect on employee performance and productivity.
When these other factors are missing or diluted, the employee comes to work
only for a paycheck. In this case, the
employee is present at work in body only, leaving their mind outside the gate. Business Performance Pty Ltd (2006)
The key factors and how each can be
utilized by supervisors and managers to boost performance are:
Goal-
setting